This invention relates to a grommet, a water-stop structure of a wire harness and a method of producing a wire harness.
There is already known a relief apparatus for transmitting a relief signal from a submerged vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6, such a relief apparatus includes a detection device 1 for detecting the intrusion of water into the interior of the vehicle, a transmitting device 2 for transmitting a relief signal in response to the detection signal from the detection device 1, and a wire harness 3 connecting the detection device 1 and the transmitting device 2 together.
The transmitting device 2 is contained within a waterproof box 5 provided, for example, below a seat 4 of the vehicle. The waterproof box 5 includes a box body 5a having a notch portion 6, and a lid 5b, and the wire harness 3 is extended into the interior of the waterproof box 5 through the notch portion 6, and is connected to the transmitting device 2.
As shown in FIG. 7, a water-stop agent 3b is filled in a predetermined portion of a bundle of (many) wires 3a forming the wire harness 3, and thereafter an adhesive tape 3c is wound on the bundle of wires 3a to cover the same, and that portion of the wire bundle in which the water-stop agent 3b is filled serves as a water-stop portion. A grommet 7, mounted on this water-stop portion, is located at the notch portion 6.
JP-A-8-251769 discloses the grommet 7 including a division member body 7a and a seal portion 7b which are separated from each other along a plane parallel to an axis of a tubular grip portion 8 for holding the water-stop portion in a radial direction, and the division member body 7a and the seal portion 7b are releasably combined together.
The water-stop portion of the wire harness 3 is gripped by the grip portion 8 of the grommet 7 in the radial direction, and in this condition the seal portion 7b of the grommet 7 is fitted into the notch portion 6 formed in the box body 5a of the waterproof box 5, and the lid 5b is locked to the box body 5a. Thus, the grommet 7 is located at the notch portion 6 of the waterproof box 5.
Incidentally, when the grommet 7 is located at the notch portion 6 of the waterproof box 5, a seal between the grommet 7 and the notch portion 6, a seal between the grommet 7 and the wire harness 3, and a seal at the water-stop portion are formed. Here, a water-stop performance of the water-stop portion is obtained by positively filling the water-stop agent 3b in the interstices between the wires 3a, and therefore the water-stop portion is, for example, kneaded with the hands of the operator after the adhesive tape 3c is wound therearound, and this operation for kneading the water-stop portion is cumbersome, which invites a problem that the efficiency of the operation is low.